Nyako, Three Times Lucky, is Gov-elect in Adamawa, Nigeria

Immediate past governor of Adamawa State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in last Saturday’s governorship poll in the state, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), has been declared winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Nyako polled 302,953 votes to beat his closest opponent and flag bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Markus Gundiri, who scored 241,023 votes.

Declaring the results, the Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Professor Mohammed Hamisu Mohammed, said the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, polled 107,546, thus finishing third in the race.

Mohammed also said Dr. Zainabu Kwonchi of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), finished fourth with 2,846 votes, while Usman Belel of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), who had pulled out of the race three days to the election, still scored 3,885 votes.

Giving a breakdown of the result, the returning officer said Nyako’s score represented 44.22 per cent of the total votes cast, having scored the mandatory 25 per cent in 21 local government areas of the state.

Similarly, he said ACN’s score represented 35.1 per cent of the total votes cast while garnering 25 per cent of the votes in seven local government areas.

For the CPC candidate, the returning officer declared that Marwa scored 15 per cent of the votes cast and above 25 per cent in three local government areas.

Furthermore, Mohammed said Nyako won outright in 14 local government areas of Yola-South, Yola-North, Mubi-North, Mubi-South, Girei, Song, Shelleng, Fufore, Jada, Maiha, Madagali, Toungo, Demsa and Mayo-Belwa.

While ACN’s seven-local-government-area wins came from Ganye, Numan, Guyuk, Lamourde, Michika, Gombi and Hong. 

Reacting to the declaration of the results by INEC, Marwa said he would not challenge the results of the poll.

He said in a press conference immediately after the declaration of the results that in spite of his reservations, he was satisfied with the way the poll was conducted and would allow the will of the Adamawa people to prevail.

“Following the declaration of the results, I subject myself to the court of the Adamawa people,” Marwa declared.

Also speaking on the poll, the PDP state chairman, Alhaji Umaru Kugama, thanked the people of the state for reposing their confidence in the PDP and Nyako by electing him for another term.

He said the governor-elect would consolidate on the “good” works and programmes that he “had been doing throughout his last tenure”.
The ACN returning officer for Yola North, Mr. John Tarry, told THISDAY that the election was a record improvement over past polls.

He said the exercise was free, fair and transparent. He commended INEC for addressing all the grey areas that could have tainted the election.

In his congratulatory message to Nyako, President Goodluck Jonathan charged him to see his victory as an opportunity to further serve his people and complete the projects and programmes he started in his first tenure.

Jonathan, who also commended INEC for a job well done, asked Nyako to justify the confidence of his people in his leadership and the PDP by pursuing policies and programmes that would engender peace and development.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Jonathan pledged his continued cooperation and working together with Nyako for the overall good of the country.

“President Jonathan urges Admiral Nyako to receive the fresh mandate given to him by the people of Adamawa State for a second term in office as a call to further duty in the service of his people and an immense opportunity to carry forward the policies, projects and programmes initiated during his first term to promote progress and development in Adamawa State.

“The president looks forward to continuing to work harmoniously with Admiral Nyako and the government of Adamawa State on the implementation of the Federal Government’s agenda for national transformation.

“He commends PDP National Executive Council members, members of the state executive of the party and all stakeholders of the party in Adamawa for working very hard to ensure that Admiral Nyako won convincingly on Saturday,” the statement said.

Jonathan had, while commending INEC for a good job also saluted the security agencies which ensured that there was no breakdown of law and order and charged them to replicate the feat in other elections coming up in Bayelsa, Cross River and Sokoto States.

In the same vein, the PDP commended the governor-elect, Nyako, and the deputy governor-elect, Mr. James Bala Ngilari, for emerging victorious in the election.

Also, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in his congratulatory message called for cooperation among the governorship candidates that contested in last Saturday’s poll.

PDP also described the Adamawa State governorship election as free, fair and transparent.

In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof. Ahmed Alkali, PDP termed the victory of the party “historic”, explaining that it was a product of hard work and outcome of the achievements of the Nyako administration in the state.

According to the statement, “This significant victory in the keenly contested election, which has been adjudged free and fair by observers, confirms the people's endorsement of Admiral Nyako's gigantic achievements in his previous term in office.

“It also puts a final seal on the PDP as the most accepted political party in Adamawa State and beyond.”

Senate President David Mark also congratulated the governor-elect on his victory in the poll.

In a statement by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, the senate president noted that the result of the election that was keenly contested reflected the yearnings and aspirations of the majority of Adamawa people.

He therefore implored Nyako to reconcile all sections of the state and carry all the citizens along as the father of all.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in his congratulatory message said the outcome of the poll confirmed the confidence the people of the state have in Nyako and the PDP.

He said considering the achievements recorded by the governor-elect in his first term in office, it was no surprise he got re-elected for a second term.

Also in his message, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, said Nyako’s victory for a second term in office has affirmed his popularity among the electorate and was a demonstration of faith in the PDP by the people of the state.

Ihedioha’s media aide, Mr. Oke Epia, in a statement, said the deputy speaker commended the people of the state for the peaceful conduct of the poll, noting that they had displayed their belief in popular franchise and by so doing, contributed to the growth and development of democracy in the country.

Commenting on the election, National Coordinator, Indepen-dent Electoral Monitoring Group (IEMG), Mr. Festus Okoye, commended INEC and the security agencies for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the election.
Describing the entire process as generally peaceful, Okoye said the turnout by voters was impressive.

By  Kunle Akogun, Chuks Okocha   and Matthew Onah